Water heater



Dec. 25,1928. 1,696,828

V. PRlCE-WiLLlAMS WATER HEATER Filed June l0, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig 3 [NVE/wok.

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Dec. 25, 1928.

V. PRICE-WILLIMS WATER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Filed June 10. 1926 I NVEN TOR.

Vernon Price-Williams.

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Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES VERNON PRICE-WILLIAMS, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

WATER HEATER.

Application led June 10, 1926.

This invention has to do with water heating devices and pertains particularly to a water heater of the so-called instantaneous type, making' use of electricity for heating.

The primary obj ect of this invention is the provision, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, of an electric water heater in which the water to be heated flows through a chamber havin@` two or more spaced `electrodes therein and acting at the same time to cornplete the circuit between the electrodes.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, of an electric water heater of improved construction, enabling the parts thereof to be easily and quickly disassembled for cleaning or repair.

` Finally, the invention is directed to a structure which shall be strongl and durable, give satisfactory service, and be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and set up.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and modified so' long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as lexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, the structure embodying this invention, to show upon a reduced scale the relative sizes of the sections of the heater.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the heater a portion thereof being broken away intermediate the ends thereof.

Figure 3 shows the heater in top plan view.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken upon the line 1*4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a modified showing of the structure shown in Figure 2, this structure being shownv partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Figure 6 is another modified showing of the structures above described, this figure also being partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Referring now `to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,and particularly referring to the structures indicated by the numerals 1 to 4 inclu- Seral No. 114,977.

sive, there isy indicated generally by the numeral 1 a switch casing which is here shown as a substantially cylindrical body having its peripheral portion merging into and connected by the neck 2, to an annular collar 3. The periphery of the switch casing 1 is also provided with an aperture 4t through which' a service lin-e may beextended. Secured to and extending through one side of the casing 1 is a switch structure indicated generally by the numeral 5. This switch structure may be of any desired construction and therefore no details of construction of the same are shown. A control button 6 upon the face of the structure 5 controls the supply of current passing therethrough, in the usual manner.

Positioned within the collar portion 3 of the casing 1, is a head plate 7 having lying against the underface thereof the gasket 8 which gasket bears upon the thickened top portion 9 lof the sleeve head l0. Connecting the thickened portion 9 of the sleeve head 10 with the underside of the head plate 7, are screws 11. f

Positioned at one end within the colla-r 3 between the same and the portion 9 of the sleeve head 10, is an outer casing 12 which extends through substantially the entire length of the water heater proper. The sleeve head 10 is exteriorly thickened at its lower end for a portion of its length to coact with the outwardly yprojecting' surface of the top portion 9 to maintain the sleeve head 10 and casing 12 in spaced relation, thereby forming an air space between said sleeve head and casing equal to the increase in thickness of the sleeve head 10 at its lower end.

The lower portion of the sleeve head l() is interiorly threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded end of a depending sleeve 13. The lower end of the sleeve 13 has threaded thereon the closure or base portion of the heater 14 which is constricted at its lower end as indicated at 15 and is interiorly threaded at 15 to receive the end of a water inlet pipe (not shown). As is shown clearly in Figure 2 the lower end of the outer casing 12 is inturned inwardly to form a flange as at 12 and the upper end of the base 14 bears thereagains't when screwed into position upon the sleeve 13 thereby assisting in holding the casing 12 securely in position. In addition to this there are threaded through the collar 3 the securing screws 16 which pass through vthe upper end of the casing 12 and into the portion 9 of the sleeve head 10 thereby securely locking the sleeve head 10 and the attached sleeve and base 14 to the switch casing 1.

The flange 12 projects inwardly from the casing 12 for a distance equal to the' thickness of the thickened lower end portion of the .sleeve head 10, and coacts with said thickened lower end portion to maintain the casing 12 and sleeve 13 in spaced relation, thereby forming an air space between said sleeve and casing equall to the thickness of the lower end port-ion ofthe sleeve head 10.

Overlying the entire interior wall of the sleeve 13, the sleeve head 10 and the base 14, is a layer of insulating enamel 17 which, as shown in Figure 2, sets up a smooth, unbroken surface throughout the interior of the heating body.

Secured against the underside of the head plate 7 and gasket 8, is an insulator plate 18 from the upper side of which there extends studs 19 which project through apertures in the head plate 7. Each of these studs has a longitudinal passage formed therethrough, and through the plate 18 of which they form a part, for the passage of the threaded upper ends of electrode members 20. VEach of theseelectrodes has adjusting nuts 21 threaded thereon and bearing against the underside of the insulating Vpla-te 18 and each further has the securing nuts 22 threaded upon the upper end thereof and bearing upon the top` of the stud 19 of the plate 18 to hold the electrodes in proper position. As is shown, the insulating plate is secured to the head plate 7 by spreading the upper end of the stud 19 over the head plate in the manner shown.

Suitable electrical conductors 23 lead from the switch structure 5 to the electrodes 20 and are secured thereto by means of the nuts 24. Opening through the interior of the water heating chamber, is a passage 25 through which a water lead-0E pipe is extended.

Extending transversely of the interior of .the water heating compartment is a pair of spacing insulatormembers 26 through which Y the electrodes ,20 pass and the electrodes are each provided with spaced surrounding ribs Aone above and the other below each of the insulator members as indicated by the numerals 27, to prevent the insulator members from moving longitudinally of the electrodes.

InFigure 5 is shown a slight modification of the foregoing structure. 1n this construction there is provided the conduit casing 28 having an aperture 29 through the periphery thereof for the .passage therethrough of a service cable to the switch structure indicated conventionally by the numeral 30. Like the casing 1, this casing has the neck portion 31 and the annular sleeve portion 32 connected thereby to the casing.

A head plate 33 is arranged within the sleeve head 10 to theY sleeve 32 and overlying the underside of the plate 33 is a gasket 34.

Bearing against the gasket and the underside of the plate 33 is the enlarged portion 35 of the head member 36, which head is secured against the gasket and the underside of the plate by means of the screw members 37, as shown, one only of these crew members being shown in this figure. rihe lower portion of the head 3G is interioriy threaded to receive one threaded end of the water sleeve 38, thelowerend of which sleeve is threaded'to receive thereon the base 39, which base,'like that shown in Figure 2, is constricted at its lower ends Vas at 40 to receive one end of a water inlet pipe (not shown).

Positioned within the water sleeve 38 eX- teuding throughout the length of the same and of the head 36, is a removable insulator sleeve 41, the upper end of which terminates beneath the head plate 33 while the lower end thereof extends into the base 39. The lower end of the insulator sleeve 41 has a laterally projected surrounding flange 42 against which the curved portion of the base 39 bears thus forcing the insulator sleeve upwardly into the proper position in the inanner shown. 1t will be readily seen that upon removing the base 39 the insulator sleeve 41 can be readily removed from the water casing.

Positioned against the underside of the head 33 and gasket 34,'is an insulating block 43 from t-he upper side of whichV there projects the studs 44 which extend through the head 33 and are flanged at their upper ends to overlie the top surface of the head and hold'the block in position. rEhese studs are provided with a central passage through which the upper threaded end of anelectrode 45 is adapted to extend and threaded upon the electrode 45 and bearing against the underside of the insulation block 43, are adjusting nuts 46 while upon the upper end of each of the electrodes 45 there is threaded the securing nut 47 which bears upon the top of the studs through which the electrodes extend.

Electrical conductors 48 lead from the switch housing 30 to the upper ends of the electrodes 45 and are secured thereto, in the manner as shown, by means of the nuts 49.

Spacing bodies of insulation 50 extend A ist 56 rests, the sleeve extending down around and being secured to the head plate 58, as

shown. The lower portion ot' the-head 57 is interiorly threaded to receive one threaded end of the casing 60 while the other end of the casing is threaded to receive the base 61 thereon, the said base 6l like the bases 14 and 39, being constricted at Figure 2 to receive the water inlet pipe (not shown).

The head 58 has a pair of apertures formed therethrough and in each of these apertures there is iitted a mica sleeve 63 having a mica washer 64 ateach end thereof and bearing against the adjacent side of the head 58. Through each of t-hese sleeves 63 there is extended the threaded end of an electrode 65, each electrode having threaded thereon the nut 66 adapted to bear against the adjacent lower mica washer 64 while the upper end of each ot' the electrodes has a securing nut 67 threaded thereon and bearing against the upper one of the mica Washers 64, as shown, to hold the electrodes in position to depend into the casing 60. Electrical conductor members 68 extend from the switch structure 54 to and are secured by means of the nuts 67 to the upper ends of their respective electrodes. c

Spacing insulator bodies 69 are positioned within and extend transversely of the casing 60 and have the electrodes 65 extended therethrough in the manner shown. These electrodes like the others described, have spaced surrounding ribs 70 which are positioned one above and one below each of the spacing insulator blocks to prevent the blocks from moving longitudinally on the electrodes. The blocks 69 here described and 'those described in connection with Figures 2 and 5 also prevent the-electrodes from coming in contact one with the other.

Suitable water outlet apertures are provided :tor the structures disclosed in Figures 5 and 6, as indicated by the numerals 71 and 72, respectively.

From the foregoing description of each of the structures shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, it will be readily seen that the water entering through the constricted portion of the bases 14, 39 and 6l of the structures will iill the same and complete the circuit between the spaced electrodes which are suspended in the bodies. The resistance of the electrodes and the resistance offered by the water to the flow of the current from one electrode to the other, will generate suliciently to rapidly heat the water passing into the chamber and through the outlet ports adjacent the upper end of each of the structures.

The structures are formed and assembled in such a manner that they can be readily disassembled for cleaning or repair.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is l. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a slee-ve head inserted into the upper end thereof and having an annular shoulder formed exteriorly of one end, a depending sleeve threaded into the lower end of the sleeve head, a closure threaded on the lower end of the depending sleeve, said casing terminating at its lower end in an inward flange resting on the upper edge of said closure, and an insulating member overlying the inner surface of the sleeve head, depending sleeve, and closure.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body having an outer wall and an inner wall, said inner wall including a sleeve head disposed within the outer wall and having thickened end portions to space the same from the outer wall to form an air space therebetween equal to the increase in thickness of the lower end portion, a depending sleeve having one end secured within the lower end of the sleeve head, and means coacting with the lower thickened end portion of the sleeve head to form an air space between the depending sleeve and the outer wall equal to the thickness of said lower thickened end port-ion.

3. A device of the character described comprising, a body having an outer wall and an inner wall, said inner wall including a sleeve head disposed within the outer wall and having thickened end portions to space the same from the outer wall to form an air space therebetween equal to the increase in thickness of the lower end portion, a depending sleeve having one end secured within the lower end of the sleeve head, means coacting with the lower thickened end portion of the sleeve head to form an air space between the depending sleeve and the outer wall equal to the thickness of said thickened lower end p0rtion, and an insulating member overlying the inner surfaces of said depending sleeve and sleeve head.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

VERNON PRICE-IVILLIAMS. 

